In the Napa Valley, where cabernet sauvignon is king, Oakville is ground zero, home to many of the industry’s rock stars, including Screaming Eagle, Harlan, Bond, Dalla Valle and Opus One. The appellation, which cuts a swath across the valley from the foothills of the Mayacamas Mountains in the west to the lower slopes of the Vaca Range in the east, is seen by many as the area’s sweet spot for cabernet.

Certainly, Robert Mondavi thought so. When he established his eponymous winery in Oakville in 1966, the property included part of the To Kalon Vineyard, which was famous even then. Today, Oakville’s most recognizable spot for many tourists is the Robert Mondavi Winery. When Mondavi died in 2008, the winery had already passed out of the family’s hands. But its founding is often referred to as the beginning of the modern wine industry in California. So it surely jump-started the reputation of Oakville.

After the Mondavi winery, others in Oakville, like Silver Oak and Groth, gained fame. Success breeds success, and those wineries eventually were joined by others whose wines would be highly sought-after. Some are sold for ultrahigh prices to exclusive (and small) mailing lists. Others are more widely available. None is cheap, though only a few sell for hundreds of dollars a bottle.

There’s not really one style of Oakville cabernet sauvignon, because the terrain varies so much. Some argue that the appellation should be divided into two or three parts. On Oakville’s west side, vineyards are often planted on alluvial fans, and they’re shaded in the afternoon. In the east, rocky red soils dominate, and many sites bask in the afternoon sun. The valley floor tends to have heavier, deeper soils. All of the appellation is far enough south to get morning fog off the bay, which helps preserve acidity, so even many of the more lush, opulent wines also display an appealing freshness. I often find savory flavors ranging from anise to black olive to mint in the wines.

One wine that should be readily available is the 2011 Robert Mondavi Oakville cabernet sauvignon ($55), a lively wine with black cherry fruit, a note of anise and fine tannins. (The Oakville bottling is different, and more expensive, than the winery’s Napa Valley cab.) There’s also a pricey Mondavi reserve cabernet from Oakville that’s usually very good, although I haven’t tasted the currently available vintage.

Other Oakville cabs priced about $50 include the 2010 Nemerever Vineyards “Block 1” cabernet sauvignon ($55), which is bright and lively, with plump red and black fruit and fine tannins; the 2011 Textbook “Mise en Place” cabernet sauvignon ($50), which is ripe yet fresh, with black fruit, an anise note and firm tannins; and the 2011 Oakville Winery Estate cabernet sauvignon ($45), which is more structured and tannic, with lively cherry fruit accented by hard spices. You’ll be hard-pressed to find Oakville cabernet sauvignon with a lower price.

I’m usually a fan of the nicely balanced Oakville cabs from Far Niente and its sister winery, Nickel & Nickel. The 2012 Far Niente cabernet sauvignon ($145), which was recently released, is still quite tight, with plenty of fruit, a cedar note and drying tannins. You may still be able to find the 2011, which is a little less tannic. The 2012 Nickel & Nickel cabernets will be released later this year. The 2012 bottling from the Martin Stelling Vineyard ($155) is lively and rich, with a dusty note, while the 2012 cab from the John C. Sullenger Vineyard ($100) is darker and more generous, with black cherry, cassis and some anise overtones.

Twenty-five years ago, the Groth Reserve cabernet sauvignon was one of Oakville’s most in-demand wines. It’s still very good, as the 2010 Groth Reserve ($125) demonstrates. The wine displays plenty of juicy black fruit and good concentration, but it’s still quite light on its feet.

Although cabernet sauvignon is the dominant and most popular wine from Oakville, there are other grapes grown there. Sauvignon blanc, for example, has a following. Robert Mondavi Winery has a good reputation for Oakville sauvignon blanc — which it labels as “fumé blanc” — especially the reserve and I-Block wines. Flora Springs also makes a good version, the 2013 Flora Springs Soliloquy Vineyard sauvignon blanc ($24). The wine is fresh and persistent, with melon, citrus and a touch of creaminess.Oakville Winery produces a restrained, balanced zinfandel from Oakville. The 2012 ($25) is brimming with bright berry fruit, along with some spicy oak.